Women's greater role in nation-building

Can lead to economic and political stability in post-conflict countries

Women’s participation in post-conflict nation-building is an important ingredient in achieving an equitable, peaceful and more prosperous society, according to a RAND Corporation study released today.

While many policymakers and development agencies fear that pursuing a stronger role for women in nation-building “too soon” will lead to instability, RAND researchers say that the available information suggest otherwise.

A society that shows greater concern for the rights of the weaker strata of its society -- including women -- will be less likely to initiate violence, while economic and social development are strongly elevated when women enter the marketplace, according to the report from the RAND National Security Research Division.

“Gender equity and women’s inclusion play a central role both as a litmus test and as an active variable shaping a more democratic, stabilized and developed society,” said Cheryl Benard, the study’s lead author and a senior political scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “Incorporating women in the nation-building process as early on as possible will help make these improvements happen sooner.”

The report, titled “Women and Nation-Building,” examines the role that women have played in the recent reconstruction activities in Afghanistan and its impact on the post-conflict nation.

Researchers concluded that when Afghanistan started to embrace a new and expanded public role for women in 2002 after the fall of the Taliban, that effort encountered less pushback than critics expected.

Women voted, signed petitions, ran for public office, were outspoken critics of corruption and the influence of warlords, served as provincial governors and ministers and joined the Afghan police force -- even in highly conservative provinces.

Based on this case study and lessons from experiences in other regions, researchers concluded that the goal of establishing stability -- defined as avoiding a renewed outbreak of hostilities -- and the goal of establishing a more equitable society do not contradict one another, as is often feared.